2008 Volvo C30

The Volvo C30 is the companies attempt to attract a new group of customers. Currently there are very few people under the age of forty who drive a Volvo; this is something that they would like to change. The C30 is a small hatchback that targets younger people without kids. They are basically going after the same people who buy the Mini Cooper or the Volkswagen GTI. The car is a two door hatch back that seats four, not something that people are used to seeing in a Volvo. The styling is also a little cooler in order to appeal to a younger audience.

While the 2008 Volvo C30 is targeting the same people who buy the Mini Cooper or the Volkswagen GTI it is really quite a different car. While the performance is good it isn't fun to drive the way its competitors are. While the other cars in its class are sporty little hatchbacks the C30 is more like a Volvo. It is safe and reliable but not really what you would call sporty. That being said you do get a car that has all the quality that you would expect from a Volvo at a very affordable price.

The reason that the C30 isn't as fun to drive as its competitors is that it is designed for comfort and drivability rather than performance. The suspension is intended to provide a comfortable ride rather than sensitive feel. The same is actually true of the whole car; everything is intended for comfort a trait that is common in all Volvo models. It remains to be seen how well the target audience accepts this kind of performance since they are targeting people who would normally drive something a little bit sportier.

The 2008 Volvo C30 offers only one choice of engine and that is a five cylinder 2.5 liter turbocharged engine that produces 227 horsepower. This gives the car good acceleration, certainly enough to compete with the other cars in its class. A six speed manual transmission is offered as standard and there is a five speed automatic available as an option. Over all this is enough to the car good performance but they are clearly tuned for drivability rather than high performance. The fuel economy figures on the C30 are about average for a car in this class.

The one thing that Volvo is best known for its safety and that really shows through on the C30. All of those features that appear on the more expensive models are here as well. Anti-lock brakes and front airbags are a given of course but also included are stability control and traction control as well as full length side curtain airbags. In addition you can add as options laminated glass and a blind spot information system. All of this makes the C30 probably the safest car in its class.